Background and Purpose: This bibliometric analysis study provides a detailed analysis of the landscape of research on technology-mediated English language skills teaching and learning over the past decade. The goal is to shed light on the most popular subjects, prolific authors, publications, and countries involved. By examining 209 documents retrieved from the Scopus database from 2014-2023, this study aims to reveal significant trends and insights into the evolution of technology-mediated teaching and learning processes. Methodology: The study utilises bibliometric analysis, with data collection conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. It employed tools such as VOSviewer, Excel, and Tableau. The research involves quantitative metrics to graphically represent publication trends, country contributions and collaborations, prolific authors, and recurring research themes. Findings: The analysis shows a significant rise in technology-mediated English language teaching publications since 2021, led by the United States, China, and Malaysia. Key topics include e-learning, communication skills, computer-assisted teaching, pandemic's impact, speech recognition, and teaching, highlighting central themes and collaborative networks. Contributions: It highlights critical trends and areas of focus in technology-mediated English language education. It underscores the importance of prioritising research on technological media in language education and suggests future research directions to enhance English language proficiency, particularly speaking skills. Keywords: Bibliometric analysis, technology mediated in teaching and learning, English-speaking skills. Cite as: Khofifah, I., & Yahya, N. (2026). A decade of research on technology-mediated English language proficiency enhancement: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 477-491. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp477-491
Background and Purpose: Writing proficiency is a fundamental component of academic success, particularly in higher education. However, many college students continue to struggle with developing effective writing skills. This study aimed to design and validate a set of discrete writing tasks specifically tailored for Filipino college students in Southern Philippines and to evaluate their effectiveness in improving students’ writing proficiency. The study sought to assess the tasks' content validity, examine their clarity and relevance, and measure their impact on student performance. Methodology: A Design-Based Research (DBR) framework guided the study, comprising two key phases: the Development Phase and the Experimental Phase. In the Development Phase, the discrete writing tasks were subjected to expert validation by five subject matter experts, focusing on quality and clarity. In the Experimental Phase, 30 students were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). Writing proficiency was measured using an essay-type test evaluated with a rubric adapted from the IELTS Writing Test 2023 version. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was used to assess task quality. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) were calculated, and inferential analyses, including the t-test and Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA), were applied to determine significant differences between groups. Findings: The discrete-task intervention significantly improved students' writing proficiency. The experimental group achieved "Very Good to Expert Level" post-test mean scores across all dimensions: content (M = 4.77), coherence/cohesion (M = 4.79), lexical resource (M = 4.53), grammatical range (M = 4.23), and mechanics (M = 4.54). Conversely, the control group’s mean scores ranged from 2.62 to 3.69 ("Limited to Modest" and "Competent to Good" levels). While a paired-samples t-test showed significant pretest-to-posttest improvement for the control group (p = .002), an independent-samples t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in gain scores favoring the experimental group, t(28) = 16.345, p < .001. Significant differences spanned all writing sub-skills with large effect sizes (η² > .80), particularly in lexical resource, grammatical range, and mechanics, demonstrating the substantial positive impact of the discrete-task intervention. Contributions: This study provides empirical evidence supporting the use of discrete, well-designed writing tasks as an instructional strategy for improving college students' writing skills. The validated task set can serve as a pedagogical resource for writing instruction in higher education. Future research may explore the integration of digital platforms to further support task implementation and learner engagement. Keywords: Discrete tasks, intervention, writing proficiency, writing task validation. Cite as: Aranego, R. B., Tulud, D. M., Verona, M. O., Gabano-Magbanua, G. B., Dollente, L. A. U., Resurreccion, M. A., De Guzman, E. L. T., Uyangurin, A. B., & Estilloso, E. M. (2026). Design and validation of discrete writing tasks to enhance the writing proficiency of college students in southern Philippines. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 262-277. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp262-277
Background and Purpose: Despite the rise in environmental volunteering, limited empirical research has explored the unique motivations behind marine-based initiatives like sea turtle conservation. This study utilizes Volunteer Function Inventory (VFI) to address this gap, exploring the specific environmental and socio-cultural factors that drives volunteers. Ultimately, this research serves a dual purpose (i) it expands the theoretical reach of the VFI into marine contexts and (ii) it equips program coordinators with the insights needed to foster sustained volunteer engagement and maximise conservation impact. Methodology: This article presents evidence-based findings from a focus group discussion (FGD) involving nine volunteers who participated in sea turtle conservation programs in Malaysia. The participants included both company-nominated and self-initiated volunteers. The FGD explored their motivations, perceptions and experiences with volunteering, as well as their views on sea turtle egg consumption, ecotourism development and the power of volunteers to influence conservation-oriented tourism. Findings: A thematic analysis revealed six key themes based on motivations, perceptions and experiences with volunteering. The themes are awareness and education, government roles and regulation, community empowerment, ecotourism impacts, sustainable practices and volunteer agency. Contributions: By interpreting these findings through the lens of the VFI framework, the study highlights how diverse motivational functions operate in an environmental volunteering context. Beside theoretical enrichment of VFI through integration with environmental citizenship and community-based conservation perspectives, the article concludes with implications for conservation organizations on participatory and community-based conservation, which underscores the importance of mutual trust, local knowledge and shares decision-making in achieving sustainable outcomes and ecotourism policy. Keywords: Sea turtle conservation, volunteerism, volunteer motivation, Volunteer Function Inventory (VFI), community perceptions. Cite as: Mohamad Zaki, N. A., Yaakop, A. Y., Mohamad Yasin, M. Y., Zainul Ariffin, Z., Pengiran Bagul, A. H. B., & Abdullah, M. T. (2026). Exploring volunteers’ motivations and perceptions in sea turtle conservation: A thematic analysis through Volunteer Function Inventory (VFI) perspective. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 421-436. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp421-436
Background and Purpose: Campus journalists serve as watchdogs in universities, amplifying student voices and promoting transparency. However, critical reporting may expose them to retaliation, censorship, and institutional pressure. This study examines the risks encountered by student journalists at The Mindanao Tech, University of Southern Mindanao, Philippines, as well as the impacts of these risks and the support mechanisms that sustain their resilience. Methodology: Guided by a hybrid Risk–Resilience Framework, the study employed a convergent mixed-methods design. The Mindanao Tech publication has a total organizational membership of 42 student journalists across editorial and production roles; from this population, 30 members who actively engaged in critical reporting participated in structured questionnaires. Instrument reliability was established through Cronbach’s alpha analysis, and content validity was ensured through expert review and pilot testing. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposively selected subset to explore personal experiences, coping strategies, and perceived support systems. Quantitative and qualitative data were integrated through triangulation to provide comprehensive analysis. Findings: Student journalists reported fear of retaliation, self-censorship, institutional neglect, and role conflict. These pressures affected emotional well-being and academic performance differentially: while psychological stress was moderate to high (overall mean = 3.41), academic impact remained comparatively low (overall mean = 2.07), an unexpected divergence that underscores the mediating role of peer solidarity. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated resilience through peer solidarity, purposeful commitment to journalism, emotional regulation, and creative or spiritual practices. Emotional and social support emerged as critical protective factors, though gaps in institutional and structural safeguards remain evident. Contribution: The study provides empirical evidence on the risks and coping strategies of campus journalists in a Philippine university context. It underscores the need for strengthened institutional policies, legal protections, and structured support systems to safeguard student press freedom and well-being. The findings contribute to media studies by applying the Risk–Resilience Framework to campus journalism, extending Institutional Betrayal Theory to student media, and informing efforts to promote ethical and protected student media practice in Global South contexts. Keywords: Campus journalism, critical reporting, student journalists, risk-resilience, coping strategies, ethical journalism, Mindanao, Philippines. Cite as: Colita, L. A. V. (2026). Ink under fire: Risks, impacts, and support mechanisms for campus journalists engaged in critical reporting. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 71-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp71-89
Background and Purpose: This study investigates the application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to enhance employee selection strategies in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) by prioritizing key behavioural and institutional criteria. The principal objective is to identify the most influential factor among Innovative Work Behavior (IWB), Gamification (G), and Cultural Diversity (CD) in shaping effective recruitment decisions. Methodology: A structured, quantitative design utilizing the AHP methodology was deployed to evaluate weight-based rankings derived from expert input. Physical survey questionnaires were administered to and collected from 35 senior academic professionals comprising senior lecturers, associate professors, and professors across seven public universities in the northern region of Malaysia (Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang, and Perak). These respondents were selected due to their extensive institutional experience and deep expertise, ensuring highly reliable insights. Pairwise comparison matrices were processed using Excel software to calculate relative factor weights. To ensure mathematical rigor, the evaluation process was strictly monitored to keep the Consistency Ratio (CR) within Saaty’s acceptable threshold of 0.10, successfully isolating the key selection criteria for institutional performance enhancement. Findings: The empirical analysis reveals that Innovative Work Behavior (IWB) holds the highest priority with a dominant weight of 0.60364, underscoring the critical importance of innovation and adaptability in modern academic staffing. Gamification (G) and Cultural Diversity (CD) were ranked second and third, respectively. The model’s internal consistency and mathematical validity were confirmed by a Consistency Ratio (CR) of 0.00638, which falls safely below the 0.10 threshold, verifying complete logical coherence. Contributions: This study concludes that integrating the AHP into Human Resource (HR) practices provides a robust, objective framework for aligning talent acquisition with institutional goals. It offers key practical insights for higher education decision-makers, highlighting a critical directive to embed innovation-centric competencies into recruitment and strategic staffing policies. Keywords: Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Innovative Work Behavior (IWB), Gamification (G), Cultural Diversity (CD), Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Cite as: Norshahrizan, N., Nur Anis Zulaikha, S. A., Suraiya, I., Ezekiel, A., Anas Firdaus Shaheen, A., Muhamad Azuan M. N., & Mohammad Rezaul, K., (2026). The keys of decision-making criteria for performance enhancement in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) using hybrid decision-making model. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 110-130. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp110-130
Background and Purpose: Biological asset disclosure remains a significant reporting issue due to challenges in measurement, judgment, and financial reporting comparability. This study provides longitudinal evidence on the disclosure of biological assets among 41 Malaysian listed plantation companies, comparising over a 13-year period from 2010 to 2022. It investigates whether the adoption and subsequent amendments of IAS 41 have led to improvements in corporate disclosure. Methodology: Data were manually collected using a disclosure index developed from the IAS 41 and Malaysia Financial Reporting Standards (MFRS)141 requirements. The disclosure items include asset types, nature of business activities, measurement and evaluation methods, production cycles and risk-related information associated with biological assets. Each disclosure item was assessed using a binary scoring approach (1 = disclosed; 0 = not disclosed). The study comprised 533 firm-year observations from 41 Malaysian publicly listed plantation companies. Descriptive statistics and One-Way ANOVA were employed to analyse the disclosure level across four regulatory stages: pre-convergence, introduction, amendment, and post-implementation. Findings: The findings indicate a progressive and statistically significant increase in biological asset disclosures over time, although full compliance remains limited due to measurement complexity, cost considerations and valuation challenges. One-way ANOVA results confirmed significant differences in disclosure levels across the four regulatory stages, with the post-implementation period exhibiting the highest level of disclosure. The results highlight persistent gaps in disclosure practices and suggest that regulatory enforcement plays a critical role in enhancing reporting transparency and comparability in emerging market contexts. Contributions: This study provides important implications for regulators, standard setters and practitioners in improving the quality and consistency of biological asset reporting. Keywords: IAS 41, MFRS 141, disclosure, biological asset, fair value measurement, plantation company. Cite as: Mohamed, N. N., Mohamed Adnan, S., Ahmad Mohamed, A. M., & Fitria, Y. (2026). Biological asset disclosure under MFRS 141: Longitudinal evidence from Malaysian publicly listed plantation companies. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 437-454. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp437-454
Background and Purpose: The Quran is the primary source of law and guidance in Islam, addressing every dimension of human life, including the welfare and social sustainability of the community. As contemporary societies confront new problems that were not encountered by earlier scholars, research grounded in the Quran continues to be produced to serve the needs of the Muslim community. This study aims to map the global landscape of Quranic studies for community, to determine whether the field is expanding or contracting and to inform appropriate policy interventions and resource allocation. Methodology: A bibliometric analysis was conducted on documents indexed in the Scopus database. Records were retrieved using the query TITLE-ABS-KEY (“quran” AND “community”) for the period 1995 to 2025, and after a structured screening procedure, 577 relevant documents were retained. The data were extracted into Microsoft Excel for frequency analysis and visualised using VOSviewer to examine annual production, core sources, keyword and term co-occurrence, contributing countries, institutions, and authorship. Findings: The global output of Quranic studies for community has generally increased over time, rising steeply from 2009 before a terminal decline in 2025 that reflects the incomplete indexing of the most recent year. Indonesia ranked first in scientific production and total citations, followed by Malaysia, while the United States and the United Kingdom recorded the highest average citations per article. The most productive sources, led by Religions and the Journal of Quranic Studies, are concentrated in religion, humanities, and theology. Thematic mapping revealed dominant terms such as Islam, Quran, Islamic law, and religion, alongside clusters relating to jihad, ethics, Indonesia, and comparative Christian–Biblical scholarship. Contributions: This study provides the first dedicated bibliometric mapping of Quranic studies oriented towards community benefits, identifying influential countries, institutions, authors, and emerging themes. The findings offer an evidence base for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to accelerate, diversify, and internationalise Quranic research for the welfare of the Muslim community. Keywords: Bibliometric analysis, community benefits, Quranic studies, Scopus, social sustainability, VOSviewer. Cite as: Mohd Yasin, M. F., Embong, A. H., Sabirin, & Hassan, S. A. (2026). Mapping global research on Quranic studies for community: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 343-359. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp343-359
Background and Purpose: As digital technologies increasingly reshape language use and social interaction, digital discourse has become a rapidly expanding area of inquiry in linguistics. However, a systematic mapping of its intellectual structure, methodological development, and research coverage remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of digital discourse research in linguistics from 2010 to 2025. Methodology: A total of 172 peer-reviewed journal articles were retrieved from Scopus and the Web of Science Core Collection through keyword-based searches. After screening based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, the final dataset was analysed through CiteSpace-based bibliometric analysis and systematic content analysis. The bibliometric analysis examined publication trends, co-cited journals and authors, contributing countries and institutions, and keyword networks, while the content analysis coded discourse types, research methods, analytical tools, and theoretical frameworks. Findings: The findings show rapid growth after 2020, with Journal of Pragmatics and scholars such as Baker, Androutsopoulos, and Agha occupying central positions. Keyword analysis identifies major themes including corpus-assisted discourse analysis, computer-mediated communication, language and identity, cognitive linguistics, and conversation analysis. The field is dominated by online media discourse, especially social media, while online interactional discourse remains underexplored. Qualitative discourse analysis remains dominant, but corpus-based, computational, and mixed-method approaches have become increasingly visible. Analytical tools are diversified, while theoretical engagement remains uneven, drawing mainly on discourse-analytic, pragmatic, sociolinguistic, cognitive, and multimodal perspectives. Contributions: This study integrates bibliometric visualization with content coding to clarify the development, knowledge structure, and research gaps of digital discourse studies, offering directions for future interdisciplinary inquiry. Keywords: Digital discourse, CiteSpace, Bibliometric analysis, Content analysis, computer-mediated communication Cite as: Liu, Y., Al-Smadi, O. A., Abdullah Kamal, S. S. L., & Zhoub, C. (2026). Digital discourse research in linguistics (2010-2025): A bibliometric and content analysis. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 278-305. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp278-305
Background and Purpose: Digital storytelling has emerged as a promising multimodal pedagogical approach in early childhood education; however, empirical evidence on its integrated impact on early reading skills and conceptual understanding remains limited, particularly within Malaysian preschool contexts. Grounded in multimodal learning theory, sociocultural theory, and narrative cognition, this study examines the effects of structured digital storytelling aligned with the National Preschool Standard Curriculum or Kurikulum Standard Prasekolah Kebangsaan (KSPK) on children’s literacy and thematic comprehension. Methodology: A quasi-experimental mixed-methods design was employed involving 60 preschool children aged 5–6 years with parental consent across two Malaysian preschools and four of their teachers (i.e., two teachers from each of the preschools) with individual consent and institutional permission. The intervention group engaged in teacher-guided digital storytelling over eight weeks, while the comparison group received traditional print-based storytelling. Quantitative data were analysed using ANCOVA, complemented by qualitative observations and teacher interviews. Findings: The findings from quantitative analysis have revealed that children in the digital storytelling group demonstrated significantly higher gains in phonological awareness, vocabulary acquisition, narrative sequencing, and conceptual understanding of environmental and social themes. Findings from qualitative analysis have provided further evidence of enhanced engagement, multimodal meaning-making and collaborative interpretation. Contributions: This paper proposes the Multimodal Narrative Learning Model for Preschool (MNLM-P) to explain how multimodal representation, narrative engagement, and interactive scaffolding mediate learning outcomes. This study has contributed to theory by integrating literacy and conceptual learning within a unified framework and provides context-specific evidence supporting digital storytelling as an effective pedagogy for reading in early childhood education in Malaysia. Keywords: Digital storytelling, preschool education, early reading development, conceptual understanding, multimodal learning. Cite as: Zainudin, Z., Jamil, N. K., Wan Nik, W. S., Mohammad Khaidzir, A. S., & Mohd Ali, Z. (2026). Digital storytelling in preschool education: Enhancing early reading skills and conceptual understanding through multimodal narrative pedagogy. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 360-379. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp360-379
Background and Purpose: Cultural heritage tourism depends on the communities that sustain heritage and the governance arrangements that shape its management, yet these dimensions are rarely examined as an integrated system. This systematic literature review synthesises evidence on how community participation and governance interact in cultural heritage tourism and proposes an integrative conceptual framework. Methodology: A focused systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines. Scopus was searched on 5 June 2026 using a structured TITLE-ABS-KEY query. Of 37 records identified, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria after title and abstract screening and full-text eligibility assessment. Findings: Thematic synthesis yielded four interconnected themes: (1) community participation is multidimensional, driven by interacting economic and non-economic factors; (2) diverse governance models converge on shared normative principles of accountability, inclusion, transparency, and equitable benefit sharing; (3) participation and governance interact to shape outcomes across heritage conservation, sustainable tourism development, and community wellbeing; and (4) persistent gaps remain between governance principles and implementation practice, including capacity deficits, distributional inequity, and pseudo-participation. Contributions: The review contributes an integrative conceptual framework positioning community participation and responsible governance as mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable cultural heritage tourism. The term "responsible governance" is proposed as an analytical construct synthesising shared principles that emerge across diverse governance models, rather than a term uniformly employed in the reviewed literature. Keywords: Community participation, responsible governance, cultural heritage tourism, systematic literature review, stakeholder engagement. Cite as: Li, G., Abd Halim, N., & Liu, M. (2026). From community participation to responsible governance in cultural heritage tourism: A systematic literature review. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 209-227. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp209-227
Background and Purpose: WhatsApp is widely used for academic and social communication among EFL university students, where emojis frequently accompany written text. While previous research has often classified emojis according to broad pragmatic functions, less attention has been given to how users themselves explain and construct emoji meanings in situated communication. This study therefore examines how Saudi female EFL university students discursively construct emoji use in WhatsApp communication. Methodology: The study adopts a qualitative interview-based discourse analysis approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with fourteen Saudi female undergraduate EFL students enrolled in a Discourse Analysis course in 2023. The analysis focuses on participants’ accounts of emoji use in relation to relationship closeness, formality, group and private chat settings, cultural and religious identity, social expectations, gendered norms, and the risk of misinterpretation. Findings: The findings show that emojis are constructed not as decorative additions to text, but as socially regulated and culturally embedded semiotic resources. Participants described emojis as useful for expressing warmth, softening messages, maintaining politeness, signalling closeness, and indexing cultural belonging. However, emoji use was also viewed as risky in formal, hierarchical, group, cross-cultural, and mixed-gender contexts. Contributions: The study contributes to digital discourse research by showing how emoji meanings are negotiated through local cultural norms, academic expectations, and interpersonal relationships in Saudi EFL WhatsApp communication. Keywords: Emojis, discourse analysis, WhatsApp communication, Saudi EFL students, multimodal communication, cultural norms. Cite as: Abdel Rahman Fakhouri, S. A., Mahfoodh, O. H. A., Jamal, M., & Abdel Rahman Fakhouri, S. A. (2026). Emoji use in Saudi university students’ WhatsApp communication: An interview-based discourse analysis. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 55-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp55-70
Background and Purpose: This review explores self-management components and recovery-oriented principles for promoting mental health among secondary school teachers. It aims to identify teacher self-management components, examine recovery-oriented mental health principles, and develop a recovery-oriented self-management framework. Methodology: Guided by the PRISMA framework, this systematic review analysed 18 peer-reviewed journal articles, including nine studies on teacher mental health self-management and nine studies on recovery-oriented mental health principles. Findings: The review identified three teacher self-management components: personal self-care and self-compassion, emotional self-regulation and coping competence, and digital self-management literacy. Four recovery-oriented principles were also identified: hope, meaning, and personal recovery; self-determination, autonomy, and empowerment; person-centred, dignity-based, and culturally sensitive support; and collaboration, social support, and system-level coordination. These findings suggest that teacher mental health self-management should be understood as an active and recovery-oriented process rather than only stress reduction. Contributions: This review proposes a recovery-oriented self-management framework for secondary teachers’ mental health. It contributes to teacher wellbeing research by connecting self-management literature with recovery-oriented mental health principles and provides directions for future teacher training, school-based wellbeing programmes, and mental health promotion policies. Keywords: Mental health, recovery-oriented practice, secondary school teachers, self-management, systematic literature review. Cite as: Shi, Y., & Omar, I. M. (2026). Recovery-oriented self-management framework to promote mental health among secondary school teachers: A systematic literature review. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 306-325. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp306-325
Background and Purpose: The Pahalgam conflict (2025) between India and Pakistan in the Kashmir region received immense attention on both traditional and social media platforms. It is generally believed that social media influence the agenda of traditional media during such events. However, empirical evidence for this claim is required. In this study, the researchers apply the intermedia agenda-setting approach to examine whether the social media were able to set the agenda for traditional media or vice versa. Methodology: A quantitative content analysis was employed to analyse the relevant news stories on one leading TV channel (Geo News), in one newspaper (Dawn), and on social media (X) from April 24 to May 21, 2025. For this purpose, 700 news stories and 3420 X posts were systematically selected. Cross-lagged correlations were performed to examine whether the X posts set the agenda of the news on Geo News and in the Dawn newspaper during the Pahalgam conflict between the two countries. Findings: The findings reveal that both Geo TV and the Dawn newspaper preceded the debates on the Pahalgam conflict, and X followed the angles and points of discussion. Both the political and military elites mainly resorted to the traditional media to initiate discussions on the various dimensions of the conflict. These debates and discussions were then reported on X, suggesting that traditional media set the agenda for social media in Pakistan. Contributions: The study makes three contributions. At the theoretical level, it shows that media influence varies with context: in moments of national security crisis, traditional media still command greater authority than their social counterparts. At the methodological level, it develops a comparative framework through which traditional and social media can be examined side by side in strategic communication research. At the practical level, the findings underline that traditional media remain consequential during geopolitical conflicts. Keywords: Inter-media agenda setting, Kashmir, content analysis, X, traditional media, Pakistan. Cite as: Shahzad, F., Khan, M. H., Qazi, T. A., & Qaisrani, I. H. (2026). Intermedia agenda-setting effects between social media (X) and traditional media (Geo News and Dawn) during the 2025 pahalgam conflict between Pakistan and India. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 455-476. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp455-476
Background and Purpose: Parental language practices are instrumental in shaping early bilingual language development in children. However, not all the practices that parents and caregivers adopt have been successful in developing the language of their children, particularly in developing them as bilingual children. Therefore, this systematic literature review aims to investigate parental language strategies and home language practices in terms of their effectiveness in raising their children as bilinguals. Methodology: Guided by the PRISMA protocol, ten relevant studies published between 2014 and 2026 were selected from five major academic databases, namely, Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The analysis focuses on children aged 2 to 6 years, examining parental input in home settings and its implications for balanced language exposure. Findings: Findings indicate that early and consistent language exposure provided by the parents and caregivers have positive effects on bilingual proficiency and language differentiation among children. However, the review reveals an absence of studies on Malay-English bilingual children in Malaysia, underscoring a significant gap in culturally diverse bilingual research. Contributions: Notably, the review identifies a gap in research on family language policy (FLP) within bilingual Southeast Asian contexts. This highlights the need for localized studies that reflect unique sociocultural dynamics, such as those found in Malay-English bilingual households in Malaysia. Keywords: Language practices, bilingual children, children’s language development, parental language input, Malay-English bilingual children. Cite as: Mahmud, F. N., & Salehuddin, K. (2026). Exploring the language practices of parents and caregivers in raising bilingual children: A systematic literature review. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 90-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp90-109
The rapid shift from conversational AI to agentic AI is reshaping English as a foreign language (EFL) education. Existing frameworks of AI literacy and self-regulated learning (SRL) were developed for earlier technologies and do not fully capture the demands of sustained human-AI collaboration. This conceptual review addresses the need for an integrated framework that connects agentic AI evolution, AI literacy, and SRL in EFL contexts. Drawing on conceptual review methods, this paper synthesizes literature on AI in language education, AI literacy frameworks, SRL and co-regulation theory, and emerging research on generative AI agents. Agentic AI transforms the learner-AI relationship from isolated prompt-response exchanges into sustained, goal-directed workflows. AI literacy must therefore expand to include agent orchestration, critical evaluation, metacognitive monitoring, ethical responsibility, and contextualized language competence. SRL should be reconceptualized as human-AI co-regulation spanning goal setting, strategy selection, process monitoring, and evaluation. This review is among the first to explicitly theorize agentic AI in EFL learning by proposing five novel dimensions of AI literacy and reconceptualizing SRL as distributed human-AI co-regulation. The proposed integrated framework links antecedents, AI literacy, SRL, co-regulation processes, and EFL outcomes, offering a timely conceptual foundation for curriculum design, task design, teacher education, assessment, and future research. Keywords: AI literacy, self-regulated learning, agentic AI, EFL learning, human-AI co-regulation. Cite as: Ji, D., Shireena Basree, A. R., & Juliana Rosmidah, J. (2026). AI literacy and self-regulated learning in the agentic AI era: A conceptual review of EFL learning. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 326-342. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp326-342
Background and Purpose: Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disorders affecting children’s academic and emotional development. In Malaysia, parents of dyslexic children often face multiple challenges due to limited awareness, inadequate institutional support, and societal stigma. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of parents raising children with dyslexia, focusing on the emotional, educational, and developmental challenges they encounter. Methodology: Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, a qualitative case study design was employed, involving five Malaysian parents of children formally diagnosed with severe dyslexia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase framework. Findings: Five major themes emerged: (1) Initial Reactions and Delayed Recognition, (2) Emotional and Psychological Burdens, (3) Financial and Institutional Barriers, (4) Educational Challenges, and (5) Child Developmental Profile. Parents reported emotional fatigue, financial strain, limited school support, and diagnostic confusion. Contributions: The findings highlight the urgent need for early screening, affordable intervention programs, and comprehensive teacher training on dyslexia. They also underscore the importance of collaborative partnerships between parents, educators, and policymakers to foster inclusive educational practices. The study contributes to the limited Malaysian literature by offering culturally grounded insights into parental experiences and emphasizing the role of empathy, awareness, and policy reform in supporting dyslexic learners. Keywords: Parental experiences, dyslexia, parental challenges, inclusive education, Malaysia. Cite as: Abd Karim, A. H., Muhammad, N., Kassim, S. K., Rais, H., & Ismail, N. A. H. (2026). Navigating the journey: Lived experiences of parents raising children with dyslexia in Malaysia. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 37-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp37-54
Background and Purpose: The translation of Prophetic Hadith involves mediating meaning across linguistic, cultural, and religious boundaries, where lexical choices significantly influence interpretation. A persistent challenge concerns how translators adjust the level of specificity when rendering culturally embedded Arabic expressions into Malay. Despite increasing attention to religious translation, limited research has examined how generalization and specification, as semantic strategies, reshape meaning and affect interpretive accuracy. This study investigates the occurrence and function of these strategies, as proposed by Chesterman (1997), in selected Malay translations of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (TSB) published by the Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia (JPM). Methodology: Adopting a qualitative approach, the study employs componential and descriptive analyses to examine shifts in conceptual specificity between the source and target texts. Through componential decomposition, it identifies how core semantic features of Arabic cultural items are either generalized or specified within Malay interpretations. The study analysed seven material cultural items extracted from selected hadiths in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, namely burd, al-tharīd, al-qiththāʾ, al-utrujjah, al-raiḥānah, al-ḥanẓalah, and al-bitʿu. Findings: The findings indicate that generalization enhances accessibility but often reduces culture-specific semantic detail, while specification narrows meaning to dominant Malay conceptualizations, potentially limiting semantic richness. These shifts reflect deliberate translational choices shaped by linguistic, cultural, and pragmatic factors. Contributions: This study highlights the importance of semantic sensitivity and demonstrates the value of componential analysis in evaluating meaning shifts, advocating balanced strategies that preserve interpretive depth while ensuring clarity. Keywords: Generalization, specification, cultural items, prophetic hadith, Sahih Bukhari. Cite as: Abd Rahman, L., A. Bakar, A., Ramli, S., Doll Kawaid, A. I. S., Abu Bakar, A. I., Harun, H., & Mat Zaki, M. A. A. (2026). Generalization and specification in translating prophetic hadith: A componential analysis of cultural items in the Malay translation of Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 401-420. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp401-420
Background and Purpose: Critical academic reading skills demand learners to engage in higher-order reading skills which require advanced lexical knowledge. The two dimensions of lexical knowledge, namely lexical diversity and vocabulary variety, however, are mostly assessed in isolation using unstable measurement instruments, hence giving misleading results. The purpose of this study was to examine these two dimensions in critical academic reading passages through an integrated approach using a more reliable measurement instrument. Methodology: The corpus consisted of 32 selected reading passages. They were first cleaned to remove any interference, such as numbering that might affect the lexical calculation, before being converted to plain text format. The Text Inspector was then used to generate the Measure of Textual Lexical Diversity (MTLD) and CEFR vocabulary difficulty levels for all passages. The scores were then analysed descriptively to examine the patterns of lexical diversity and CEFR vocabulary distributions across the passages. Additionally, Spearman’s rho correlational analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between MTLD scores and CEFR-based vocabulary levels. Findings: All 32 examined passages generally exhibit high lexical diversity, with many common and basic words. Lexical diversity was found to increase when advanced vocabulary was added to the passage, indicating a significant positive correlation between the two dimensions. Contributions: The integrated approach in lexical analysis adopted in this study results in a comprehensive picture of lexical complexity rather than using the single metric alone, hence offering a clearer and fairer approach for instructors in evaluating and selecting reading passages to be used with students. Keywords: CEFR profiling, critical academic reading, lexical difficulty, lexical diversity, Measure of Textual Lexical Diversity (MTLD). Cite as: Aziz, A., Syed Ahmad, T. S. A., Awang, S., Abdul Aziz, R., Azlan, N. A., & Ahmad, S. N. (2026). Lexical diversity and CEFR vocabulary in critical academic reading passages: A conceptual replication. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 228-242. https://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp228-242
Background and Purpose: Teacher emotion regulation (ER) shapes instructional quality, teacher well-being, and classroom relationships. However, few studies examine instrumental ER motives—why teachers regulate emotions to achieve pedagogical, social, or identity goals. This gap is notable for novice teachers in Chinese secondary schools. This study therefore explores how novice Chinese EFL teachers interpret emotional experiences and why they adopt particular ER strategies. Its broader purpose is to show how instrumental motives guide emotional decision-making in real classroom contexts. Methodology: We conducted online semi-structured Mandarin interviews with six novice Chinese EFL teachers recruited through convenience sampling. Each interview lasted 30–40 minutes. We recorded, transcribed, and coded all data. Thematic analysis informed by Gross's process model and Tamir's motive taxonomy helped identify motives, strategy patterns, and influencing factors. Member checking and peer review enhanced credibility. Findings: Three instrumental motives emerged: performance motives to maintain lesson flow and classroom order; social motives to build trust and repair conflicts; and epistemic motives to project a stable professional identity. Teachers used situation modification, cognitive change, attentional deployment, and response modulation. The interplay between these factors suggests a situated regulatory ecology, where the intensity of student behavior dictates the strategy, but the availability of social support determines the sustainability of the teacher's emotional labor. Personal well-being and identity concerns shaped why they pursued specific ER goals. Contributions: These findings illuminate how instrumental motives shape ER strategies in the Chinese novice EFL context. The findings can inform teacher education programmes seeking to develop proactive ER skills. Keywords: Instrumental emotion regulation motive, teacher's emotion regulation strategies, teacher emotion, novice EFL teacher, Chinese secondary schools. Cite as: Wu, C., Ao, Y., & Liu, M. (2026). Motivated to regulate: The instrumental emotion regulation of novice Chinese EFL teachers. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 16-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp16-36
Background and Purpose: Healthy aging has become a global priority in response to increasing life expectancy and the rising prevalence of age-related health challenges. This review aimed to identify and synthesize evidence-based components of interventions promoting healthy aging. Methodology: A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR (PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Comprehensive searches across databases, including Scopus, Cochrane, and PubMed, for studies published between 2020 and 2025. Findings: 30 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included for final analysis. The synthesis of findings identified six key components that consistently support the effectiveness of healthy aging interventions: (i) diet, (ii) prevention and management of multimorbidity, (iii) physical activity, (iv) social support, (v) mental health management, and (vi) cognitive well-being. Contributions: These components highlight the multidimensional aspects of healthy aging and the need to adopt an integrative approach when designing interventions. The findings provide critical insights for policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and researchers in developing frameworks and programs to promote health, well-being, and quality of life (QoL) among older adults. Keywords: Healthy aging, quality of life, health, well-being, lifestyle. Cite as: Mohd Fauzy, N. K., Harith, S., Yahaya, R., Kamaludin, M., Abdul Rahman, H., & Lee, D.-Y. (2026). Defining evidence-based components of healthy aging interventions: An integrative scoping review. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 243-261. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp243-261
